OPTIMISM over the quality of life weakened to its worst level since September 2015, with only three out of 10 Filipinos expressing optimism that their lives would improve in the next 12 months, the first quarter survey of the Social Weather Stations (SWS) from March 25 to 28 showed.
The survey, which involved 1,200 adults nationwide with a margin of error of +/- 3 percent, also showed that close to four out of 10 persons are optimistic the country’s economy would improve in the next 12 months.
The SWS results showed that 43 percent of those surveyed said they expect their personal quality of life to improve in the next 12 months (“Optimists”), while 6 percent expect it to get worse (“Pessimists”) which resulted in a “very high” net personal optimism score of +36 — percentage of optimists minus percentage of pessimists.
The survey said net score is 9 points down the equally “very high” at +45 personal net optimism rating recorded in December 2016 and is also the lowest net optimism score since September 2015’s +33.
The net personal optimism score also remained in the “very high,” despite a 6 to 8 point drop, among socioeconomic classes ABC with +37 (from +45), and D with +38 (from +44) ). It was downgraded to a “high” +29 among socio economic class E after dipping from a “very high” +46.
The SWS also found that 47 percent of Filipinos are optimistic about that the Philippine economy will be better in the next 12 months while 9 percent said it will be worse, yielding a “very high” net optimism score of +38 – percentage of those who said it will get better minus percentage of those who said it will get worse. The net score is 5 points down from “very high” +43 in December.
There was not much change on the personal quality of life of Filipinos compared to a year ago, with 35 percent of respondents (down from 37) saying their lives improved or the “Gainers”, and 19 percent (down from 21 percent) saying it got worse or the “Losers.” This resulted in a net gainers score of “very high” +16, percentage of gainers minus percentage of losers, which unchanged from the December survey.
Presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella blamed the drop in the Filipinos’ optimism over their quality of life and the Philippine economy to inflation.
Abella said Filipinos were “feeling the pinch” of inflation in March which was influenced by the hike in prices of electricity after the Malampaya temporarily shut down to undergo maintenance, and the rise in prices of gasoline, diesel, kerosene and LPG in the market. (J. Montemayor, Malaya)
